Resources Available for Stress Reduction and Mental Wellbeing

December 19, 2023

Being a firefighter or EMS provider can be difficult any day, and the holiday season can be especially tough. The NVFC provides resources to support responders and their families as well as to help departments implement or enhance their behavioral health program.

• The NVFC First Responder Helpline, offered through Provident, provides assistance to NVFC members and their household families for a variety of behavioral health issues and work-life stresses as well as in a crisis moment. Tip: Department chiefs can purchase NVFC memberships for their crew to provide this benefit to all personnel.
• The Directory of Behavioral Health Professionals lists local providers who are equipped and ready to help firefighters, EMS providers, rescue workers, dispatchers, and their families.
• The Psychologically Healthy Fire Departments: Implementation Toolkit helps fire department leaders promote and foster well-being among their members and create successful, high-performing departments. A supplemental training is also available in the NVFC Virtual Classroom.
• The NVFC Virtual Classroom has a variety of courses to help responders, family members, and departments build resilience, manage stress, recognize warning signs of behavioral health issues, and focus on mental wellbeing.
• The webinar Holidays and First Responders: How to Deal with Increased Stress discusses positive coping skills to help responders deal with cumulative stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout.

Find more resources through the NVFC’s Share the Load program at www.nvfc.org/help.